Taped from Dallas, TX
Airdate: March 5, 1988 (taped 02/26)
Attendance: unknown
Hosted by Marc Lowrance
Can Hayes defeat Perez to become #1 contender? How will Borne fare against the wily Taylor? Will the Simpson brothers prevail against Embry and Bradley? I get the sneaking suspicion this episode could be rather good.
Opening montage.
Match 1: Steve & Shaun Simpson versus Eric Embry & Bob “Super Cat” Bradley
Highlights:
- No, folks, I did NOT give Bradley that moniker.
- For some odd reason, the partners are in different corners than the normal ones.
- Bradley leapfrogged Steve twice but got slammed.
- When Embry tagged in, the Dallas faithful chided him with an “Eric-a” chant.
- Bradley tagged in, rolled up Steve, and got 1.
- As Steve rolled up Bradley, he got 2.
- Bradley hooked a stepover toe hold, but Steve escaped.
- After Shaun tagged in, he leapfrogged Bradley, scored with a cross body block, and got 2.
- Embry tagged in, but Shaun reversed a cross corner whip and backdropped him.
- While he dropkicked Embry, Shaun missed a second attempt.
- Embry delivered a slingshot suplex, mounted the second turnbuckle, and connected with a diving head butt.
- Mounting the second turnbuckle again, he missed on a second effort.
- Hot tag Steve.
- Backdropping Embry, Steve ate a knee lift.
- Embry dealt Steve a slingshot suplex, landed a diving head butt, but tagged out.
- Taking his turn, Bradley mounted the top turnbuckle, secured a flying sunset flip, but didn’t earn a count.
- Steve trapped Bradley with an inside cradle and pinned him.
- As a result, the Simpson brothers won at 6:28.
Rating: ***
Summary: Better than I expected as the babyfaces triumphed. On second thought, they may have botched the finish and figured out one on the fly. At least they didn’t repeat the spot.
Match 2 for the WCWA Texas title: “Maniac” Matt Borne (champion) versus Terry Taylor
Highlights:
- Bourne unleashed a big boot that almost broke Taylor’s nose.
- As he leapfrogged Taylor, Bourne dealt him a belly-to-belly suplex for 2.
- Taylor went WAY DOWNTOWN prior to a commercial break.
- When we returned, a recovered Borne delivered a swinging neckbreaker for 2.
- Taylor tossed Borne down to the floor, joined, and fed him a hangman’s neckbreaker.
- After Borne returned to the apron, he guillotined Taylor with the top rope.
- He caromed Taylor’s head off the top turnbuckle resulting in a Taylor flop.
- While Taylor migrated to the apron, Borne suplexed him back into the ring for 2.
- He powerslammed Taylor for another 2.
- Hooking an O’Connor roll from the corner, Borne inadvertently knocked referee Rick Hazzard from the ring.
- Hazzard returned to count 2 of what may have been a 6-count; however, Taylor escaped.
- Grabbing the trunks and causing a full moon over Dallas, Taylor pinned Borne at 10:37 shown.
- WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!
Rating: **
Summary: You could safely predict a tainted victory by Taylor after his World title match became the scene for his heel turn. This match marked Borne’s brief exit from WCWA as he returned to Portland for a quick stint.
In the ring within an empty Sportatorium, Michael Hayes asserts that although he returned to Dallas for his music career, he wasn’t “quitting professional wrestling.” He gives Perez his due but disputes the beating he took in Fort Worth. We revisit the interview that resulted in said beating.
We waste time with senseless Von Erich versus Freebird violence.
Match 3 (non-title): WCWA World champion Al Perez (champion w/ Gary Hart) versus Michael “P.S.” Hayes
Highlights:
- When the bell rang, Hayes backdropped Perez out of the corner.
- Perez attempted a monkey flip, but Hayes booted right between the eyes.
- As Hayes popped Perez like a preteen’s prevailing pimple, Hart jumped onto the apron.
- Hart distracted referee Rick Hazzard, so Hayes became Stridex once again and popped Perez once more.
- After Hart distracted Hayes, Perez took brief control.
- Hayes blasted Perez with a lariat but missed a knee drop.
- While Perez hooked a stepover toe hold, he grabbed the top rope for leverage. SNEAKY!
- Perez cheated like a CEO at a Coldplay concert while working on Hayes’ knee.
- Blocking another stepover toe hold, Hayes fell victim to a dragon screw leg whip.
- You didn’t see too many of those in 1988.
- Nevertheless, Perez missed in his attempt to break Hayes’ leg but clipped the knee for a 15-yard penalty. Oops, wrong sport.
- He hooked a figure-four leg lock and grabbed the second rope for leverage. How dastardly!
- Countering the hold, Hayes couldn’t keep Perez from making the ropes.
- Hayes ducked a lariat from Perez and unleashed a ten-punch count-along.
- Giving Perez a cross corner whip, Hayes backdropped him again.
- Perez reversed an Irish whip but ate a knee lift.
- In the process, Hazzard went down.
- Hart jumped into the ring, but Hayes knocked him into the middle of 1990.
- Reversing an Irish whip, Hayes nailed Perez in the midsection.
- He planted Perez with a DDT, but Hart broke up the pin.
- As a result, Hayes won by DQ at 11:14.
Rating: ***
Summary: Since it was a non-title match, I don’t see a problem with Hayes pinning Perez here.
After the match, Hart and Perez double-team Hayes until Hayes ducks a double clothesline and scrambles to safety. He removes Ralph Pulley from his chair and takes it for protection.
Conclusion: Hayes came within an eyelash of beating Perez in a thrilling main event. Also, Taylor used shenanigans to steal the Texas title from Borne. The Simpson brothers found success in the opener much to the chagrin of Embry. Spend the time and check this one out!
Next week, Kevin, Kerry, and Steve battle Roberts, Parsons, & Hood in six-man action!
TV Rating: NONE
Stay tuned for WCCW 03-12-88!
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